OP: are you retarded? Because that is the only way you are seriously asking that question.

Bar passage rates, average starting salary, median salary, number of partners in biglaw firms, the previous poster's stats about employment all favor Cornell, and not just a little bit. Especially if your parents are in debt/unemployable, your paycheck could potentially need to be big enough to cover their expenses, too.

Even if you want to do public interest, going to BLS is a bad idea. Sure, you wouldn't have debt to worry about, but I'm sure Cornell has a loan repayment program for graduates working in public interest. Also, the most exciting PI jobs are incredibly difficult to land and the better the school you go to, the better your chances.

It's not rude to indicate what other school you have chosen to attend. In fact, it's helpful and perferred.

As someone who has worked in multiple admissions offices, I can tell you that AdComms like knowing where you've chosen to attend instead of their school; it helps them identify their chief competitors and fine tune their message when competing for applicants. They keep statistics on this kind of thing, and if you're not going to matriculate, the least you can do is provide another data point.

TITCR

Many schools send a withdrawal postcard or sheet with the admissions packet, and most of those have a line for inserting what school you are attending instead. Some, such as WUSTL and Minnesota, even send out a survey afterwards asking what school you went to, your reasons for applying to their school, reasons for choosing the school you chose, etc.

Information like that is particularly helpful as it lets schools know if you picked a school for location, prestige/rank, monetary, or other reasons.

An email to the admissions office stating that you would like to withdraw your application because you will be attending another institution is fine. If you haven't picked another school, simply stating that you would like to withdraw your application from consideration is sufficient.

For realsies people, you need to stop freaking out. Think of the years you are taking off your life with this stress! It will come soon or it won't. You'll get in or you won't. I hope it's the former, but you can't change anything, so freaking out about it is pointless!

Patience, friends. Especially since boatloads of people didn't get in during the so-called first round. Hell, I didn't even apply until after the first round. Deep breaths, now go for a walk.

Presumably, Columbia just sends you a rejection or waitlist letter without the e-mail otherwise. I don't know this for a fact.

Affirmed in part and reversed in part. For me, I got the .pdf after the acceptance packet. I remember this vividly because I went complete on 2/9 and got an acceptance in the mail dated 2/13, which I assumed was a mistake because 4 days? Come on. But then the .pdf arrived and all was right and well with the world.

How come I feel you?How come kinda reminds me of the Alice Walker story Everyday Use?How come once you leave home, in some ways you can never go back?How come I'll bet you'll find that some lawyers who go to lesser ranked schools will be pleasant?How come most people who have gotten their piece of the pie are usually secure?How come then again your experiences have obviously been different?How come you just gotta do you and people will realize very soon that you are not snobby and prestige oriented?

How come that's very true?How come I interviewed at a firm where most of the lawyers went to the local school?How come they were all really nice and friendly?How come they didn't make a big deal about my school, other than casually mentioning that it was a good school?How come maybe you are snobby and prestige oriented? How come just kidding?

How come I know I'm really lucky?How come it sounded braggy but wasn't meant to be?How come sorry for the complaint but how come it's still been my experience?How come I hope you all are right about nice and friendly people?How come thank you?

All zeros are the magic number in the financial aid game. Especially at the ivy's that only offer need based aid, thus you have all need by the zeros so you will get max of whatever grants they also offer.

Not Columbia! Yet another good reason to come here A lot of people seem to get a 10/10/5k non-need based grant allocation. Some people don't get anything and others get more, but that seems to be the standard grant.

How come I wish I'd known that there would be a feeling of alienation from non-law school people? How come it's weird to know that I'll be making more money than my dad, whose been with the same company for over 25 years and is a vice president? How come it's weird to know that lawyers who went to lesser-ranked schols are hostile toward me in interviews because they assume I'm snobby and prestige-oriented?

How come all this makes me sad and there's no one to talk to about it?

Me: I'm applying to law schools!Co-workers: Where are you applying?Me: I'm not sure, but I want to go to the best school I can.Co-Workers: Like Washington University?Me: Um, maybe!

::later::

Co-workers: have you picked a place yet?Me: no, deciding between Columbia and Penn.Co-workers: Mizzou? I have cousin/friend who went there.Me: Um, no. The one in New York.Co-workers: what's the other one? Penn State? Nittany Lions!Me: Um, no. The one founded by Ben Franklin.Co-workers: So, do you think you'll come back and work here over winter break or summer vacation?Me: Um, no. Thanks.